Photo Courtesy / Samantha Lobo

When you’re in university, it can be easy to grab a burger before or after a lecture, but think twice about the calorie load. One burger won’t devastate your body, but making a routine of fast food can be a problem.

There are many alternatives to help balance your nutrition intake, like a simple cold cuts sandwich at Subway. You get some veggies and low-cal dressing on flat bread and you have yourself a solid meal that will last you until you get home (where hopefully you don’t reach for the cookies).

You could also bring a homemade lunch to the study room consisting of a sandwich, yogurt and some veggies. Carrots are an especially good snack when you’re sitting in a long lecture.

We have a great athletics facility on campus complete with a cardio studio, basketball court and a full weights room. You receive a free membership as a UTSC student.

The cardio studio doesn’t have to be a place for you to exhaust yourself. You could also go for a couple hours to walk, bike or lightly jog while you watch TV; much better than sitting at home on the couch with a bag of chips. You could even bring a friend for a walk and talk.

The basketball court is ideal for some social time as well; bring some friends along to shoot some hoops and relax in between classes.

The weights room provides a wide range of workout equipment from free weights to machines and treadmills for warm-ups. You don’t need to lift weights every day, but going three times a week after or in between classes for 45 minutes is enough to maintain your weight and is also a great stress reliever when it comes to exam time.

Staying fit in university isn’t easy, but the key is creating a routine that you can maintain throughout your undergraduate career.